A.I.R. Fellowship Program

October 24, 2018

The A.I.R. Fellowship Program was established in 1993 by former NY artist member, Stephanie Bernheim, in order to support underrepresented and emerging self-identified women artists in New York City. Each year, six artists are awarded a year-long fellowship to develop and exhibit a project at A.I.R.

In the last 25 years more than 92 artists have had the opportunity to have their first solo exhibition in New York City with the support of the A.I.R. community. This program encourages artistic experimentation and rigor by providing a space where feminist historical precedence and inter-generational dialogue are at the forefront. Essential for this process are a series of professional development workshops, the close collaboration with an A.I.R. artist-mentor, scheduled studio visits through the year- including one with the panelists, and the participation in the Unforgettables Reading/Working Group.

Since 2009, A.I.R. Gallery names one yearly A.I.R. Fellowship seat in memory of the artist, activist, writer, and feminist Emma Bee Bernstein (1985-2008). In recognition of Emma’s significant contributions as a young artist, the youngest A.I.R. Fellowship recipient receives the honor of holding the Emma Bee Bernstein Fellowship.

Eligibility

A self-identified woman artist

Have not had a solo exhibition at a permanent commercial gallery in NYC in the last 10 years

Are residents, or within commuting distance of, New York City metropolitan area for the duration of the program

18 years or older

Not a student or enrolled in any degree seeking program at the time of the program

Not participating in a comparable development program or residency program

Not currently be a member, employee or board member of A.I.R. Gallery, and never have had a solo show at A.I.R.

Not a Fellowship alumna

Benefits

Free membership at the A.I.R. Gallery for one year

A solo exhibition in the Fellowship Gallery fully supported by A.I.R.

Professional development workshops led by a professional in the field

Printing of exhibition announcement cards

Participation in membership-based exhibitions

Access to the gallery space, resources and career development assistance during program tenure

One-on-one studio visit with one of the review panelists

An artist-mentor at A.I.R. Gallery to work with throughout the program

A stipend at the end of their participation in the program, pending available funding

Selection Process

Each year, a selection review is conducted by a panel of outside curators, and established artists. Through a multi-round process, artists are selected based on the quality and commitment to their work. A final interview and selection is made by A.I.R. Artists. A mandatory in-person interview is held prior to being accepted to the program. The A.I.R. Fellowship Program is open to artists working in all media and seeks to work with those that could benefit from the opportunities that the program offers. Six artists will be awarded a Fellowship. Previous curator and artist panelists have included: Rina Baneerjee, Phong Bui, Dan Cameron, Amber Esseiva, Lia Gangitano, Leslie Hewitt, Matthew Higgs, Rujeko Hockley, Christine Kim, Florence Lynch, Piper Marshall, Catherine Morris, Lisa Oppenheim, Faith Ringgold, Lumi Tan, and Andrea Scott.

This years 2019-20 panelists include Joeonna Bellorado-Samuels, Ruba Katrib, and Xiaoyu Weng.
For more information on current and past panelists, click here.

How to apply

The online application is FREE to all applicants and can be accessed by clicking here

DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 24, 2018 AT 11:59 PM

Have more questions?

A.I.R. also hosts one Information Session on October 3, 2018 from 6:30-7:30pm. It is strongly encouraged that applicants attend the session if possible.

Funding

The A.I.R. Fellowship Program is made possible by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, as well as generous support from the Bernheim Foundation, the Lily Auchincloss Foundation, Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation, The Gifford Foundation, and individual donors to the Emma Bee Bernstein Fund.